Friday, May 27, 2011

Weekly News Roundup - Stop the Word, Khan Academy

I'm starting up a new feature for Fridays - I'll be summarizing some of the more notable events of the past week in the education, disability, and legal arenas (basically, what I found interesting).  Purely subjective - don't rely on me as your news source!

Probably the item that got the most attention across the press was the CDC's release of the study showing an increase in the rates of developmental disabilities in kids.  I'm still processing it myself.  It is just a number - but, like any statistic, it will (hopefully) have an impact on funding, and public awareness.  And it might even have an impact on educational policy and theories of inclusion.  I also hope it encourages a little more public acceptance.

Speaking of acceptance, the other big news was the public service announcement at the end of Glee sponsored by the .  In case you missed it, check it out on YouTube.  It's pretty powerful, and rightly a reminder that discrimination against the cognitively impaired is probably the last "acceptable" discrimination against a minority (possibly also obesity).

Lastly, our friends at the Khan Academy are in the news again!  This article in Business Week is a wonderful summary of how the Khan Academy started, and how it's being used in the Los Altos, California, school district (incidentally one of the best in the country, already).  Impressive out of the box thinking - both at the school district and at the Khan Academy.  Thanks for the tip, Jen!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

1 in 6

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just released results from a study that examined rates of disability in children ages 3-17, over a 12 year period from 1997-2008.  (You can read the whole report online here, but you'll have to buy a subscription to Pediatrics: CDC Report in Pediatrics).  Here's the high level summary:
  • Between 1997 and 2008, the number of children with a disability rose from 8.2 million to roughly 10 million, or from less than 13% to more than 15% of all kids between the ages of 3 and 17. 
  • The disabilities included in these numbers include autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, seizures, stuttering or stammering, hearing loss, blindness, or intellectual disability (formerly known as mental retardation).
  • Nearly twice as many boys as girls had a disability.
That's higher than you thought, right? We're talking about significant numbers of kids in our school systems who need help in accessing their education.  I can tell you, though, that budgets for special education services - or for general education, for that matter - have not increased to keep up with these trends.

Monday, May 23, 2011

FCC Comment filed!

I mentioned awhile ago that, in connection with the passage of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, the FCC was seeking public comment to the development of its regulations.  (Brief intro here: Increasing 911 Accessibility).  Well, I did decide to file a comment, and I snuck it in under the wire - the deadline was today!

I've posted a copy of my comment to Google docs, and it's available if you want to read it there.  If you'd like to see your federal government in action, however, you can embark upon a search through the FCC site and try to find out where filed comments can be read.  (Want a hint?  Look for the electronic comment filing system).

In case you don't have that much time to read a 14 page document, I've excerpted my executive summary, intro, and conclusions here (tell 'em what you're going to say, say it, and tell 'em what you've said!)  But note that you don't read the full thing, you won't get to read my Roomba reference!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Apps for Special Needs: More Resources

Just have to pass along some links that a friend shared with me (thanks Lorri!)  These are worth checking out - a few more resources that recommend certain apps for special needs kids.  It's nice to have some independent recommendations before you shell out even $7 for an app.  The cost can certainly add up!

This link shows you what's in the iTunes Special Education store: Special Education in iTunes

And this link offers concrete recommendations for AACs, scheduling/prompting apps, and data collection apps: Teaching Learners with Multiple Needs.  (And I love the acronym YGWYPF re apps!)

A lot of apps that could be useful to kids with special needs (and the families that support them) have general applicability as well.  Organizational apps like Evernote, and the newer Awesome Note, help anyone with organizational tasks - with the added benefit that (a) the notes won't get lost and (b) are backed up on either your computer, or Google Docs.

Basic reading and letter-tracing apps are great for any preschooler, and might encourage a child who doesn't particularly like "old school" books to read and engage more with language.  There are similar math apps - everything from basic arithmetic to fractions and decimals.  There's even a graphic calculator app (do you remember the TI-81?  The big blue calculator?  I still have mine.  It makes me nostalgic for Calculus II and Mr. Greenberg.)

Communication and modeling, data collection, and scheduling apps are a little more special-needs specific.  Definitely check out the reviews for the AAC apps before you buy one, because they tend to be higher priced.

Happy app hunting!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Special Education Law Basics, Part Two

Again, in order to lay the groundwork for future posts and topics I plan to address, I want to make sure everyone has a basic grounding in the principles and acronyms used in special education law.  In my first post on the topic, I covered the super simple basics: how are special education services provided, and what's the legal standard used.  (Need a refresher?  Hit Back to Basics again).

As I've said before, the IDEA is both a funding statute, providing federal funds for state schools, and a civil rights statute, designed to rectify decades of discrimination against children with special needs.  In keeping with its role as a civil rights statute, the law provides procedural safeguards designed to protect the rights of children with disabilities and their parents.  Some of these safeguards consist of various notice requirements (e.g., the school must provide parents with "prior written notice" before changing the placement of a child).  Other procedures address what happens if the collaborative process envisioned by the IDEA breaks down. 

You can see, I'm sure, the possibility for big disputes between the parents and the school district concerning the education of a child with disabilities.  Some parents feel like inclusion isn't the best place for their child (as I discussed in The Inclusive Classroom); other parents feel like their child can succeed in a general education classroom, albeit with appropriate supports.  School districts, meanwhile, have limited resources, declining budgets, and staffing challenges.  The first step in a dispute between the school and the parent is informal dispute resolution, just as any parent would approach the school if the child was having an issue.  The parties can also request mediation, to be conducted by a neutral party at no cost to the parents.  (Mediation is a great option, and I'm a big believer in it).  After this, the escalation procedures are specifically laid out in IDEA.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Not again! ANOTHER update about words

Ok, so you'd think that maybe people in the public eye would have learned by now, given the slip-ups by President Obama, Rahm Emanuel, and Lady Gaga.  (See my earlier posts on this topic: A word about words and Lady Gaga Update  ). 

I suppose we are giving these folks too much credit, because yet again, someone thinks it's okay to use the r-word in a disparaging manner.  This time, a sports figure.

After Game 3 of the playoffs, LeBron James took offense at a reporter's question and muttered "that's retarded".  At the next press conference, he addressed the issue, saying it had been "blown out of proportion".  This is how he "apologized": "If I offended anyone, I sincerely apologize."  Well, yes you offended people; otherwise, you wouldn't have to apologize.  LeBron James and his apology.  So just actually apologize.  Maybe try to understand why your careless use of the word was indeed offensive.  Maybe reach out to disability organizations and use your bizarre amount of fame for a good cause.

Let's review:
1. It's not okay to use the r-word. 

1a. Really, don't use it when speaking to a reporter.  That's not a good idea.

2.  Spread the Word to end the Word.  You can "like" the facebook group, support the campaign through donations, or simply be a great role model in your own life.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Web Accessibility: Advanced Topics I

There are some interesting and challenging legal issues relating to the DOJ's anticipated regulations relating to the applicability of the ADA to website access.  (You can catch up and read my intro Web Accessibility and the ADA  if you missed it earlier.)  These are the kinds of issues that might not seem obvious - and might not seem all that important - but they are precisely the kinds of issues that make legislation and regulation in this area so difficult.

Because these issues are complicated, I'll break them down into separate posts.  Today, I'll talk about the hard distinction between public and private places on the internet.  Later on, I'll talk about copyright issues, as well as implications of international law.  (Fun, huh?)

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Notes from the other side: Tips from a SD Conference

I recently attended a legal conference sponsored by the Colorado Department of Education.  I confess that I was a little nervous about attending; while it was certainly open to the public, and while I had at least two reasons to go (as a parent as well as an attorney), I still felt like I was snooping on the enemy.  In some ways, the conference was reassuring.  No one misstated the law (that I heard); no one said incredibly egregious things about parents (although the "angry parent" motif was quite common).